Books on Sustainable Agriculture

The book is quite philosophical in nature and doesn't prescribe any step
by step methods but more of a basic philosophy which is likely to confirm
what the reader already knew.

For people such as myself who sometimes pause to wonder why are we have
chosen an ideology of self sufficiency, it is encouraging to read of the
experiences of one who has already tread the arduous path and who offers
words of reason that are simple and uncomplicated in this very complicated
world.
If there is a methodology prescribed in the book, it is the method of
simplicity and it is printed in such a way that it can be adapted to our
own unique circumstance.

The forward, by Larry Korn, gives a profile of the nature of the book and
Fukuoka's background I'll abbreviate:-
In his younger days Mr Fukuoka's specialty was plant pathology and he spent
a lot of time in research. Over 40 years he observed the Japanese nation
abandoning their traditional farming methods and following the American
model, both economic and industrial.
He noticed this coincided with degradation of the land and society and so
he returned to traditional methods and improved on many of the old ways to
quote the forward by Larry Korn " He (Mr Fukuoka) considers the healing of
the land and purification of the human spirit to be the same process".

Fukuoka produces citrus and grains including rice, he believes in minimal
interference to create a natural balance, he believes that upsetting the
balance by using insecticides to destroy pests perpetuates a cycle of
imbalance, creating a system permanently dependent on insecticides,
which results in greater long term insect damage once predators are
destroyed.
The book also emphasizes the holistic nature of farming, as opposed to the
scientific 'discriminating" approach where each "problem" is viewed by
scientists in the context of their specific field of 'expertise'
Fukuoka has had many 'experts' visit his property and they arrive in single
file to study particular aspects in isolation, most "experts" are
reported to be very impressed they take notes and then offer short term
prescriptions for improving his system, based on their own unique
scientific field. Needless to say none of those prescriptions have been
applied.

Masanobu Fukuoka also emphasizes the importance and sustainability of the
small farm
he recognizes that modern commercial agriculture has diminished the
spiritual nature of farming and the underlying message seems to be the
unsustainable nature of large farm mechanical operations. Fukuoka's book
also goes on to speak of increasing concern in Japan about the
deterioration of the environment, contamination of food, the large
amounts of chemical fertilisers being, used of which only a small portion
is being used by the plant life while the excess leaches into seas and
rivers.

Throughout the book Fukuoka highlights Soil improvement as the basis to
success, he emphasizes the importance of spreading straw, growing clover,
producing compost and returning organic matter back to the Earth.
He concludes that artificial fertilizers, though effective in the short
term, ultimately lead to long term soil degradation and depletion, causing
the Earth to lose vitality.
Fukuoka believes that the soils can be planted continuously and in such
away that it will continually improve, by enriching the soil using of
cover crops and there is also a chapter on growing rice in a dry field.

Although the book was written more than 20 years ago the message is
becoming increasingly important today, especially in the light of such
issues as the various current food crises including Genetic Engineering
and the cattle feed contamination crises in Europe and the
un-natural manner in which animals are farmed these days.

There is also reference to the impact of consumer demands and the range of
chemicals that have been introduced in response to consumer preference so
produce looks more marketable. In striving to meet those demands,
farmers are caught in a cycle where they do too much when they could be
thinking in ways that will enable them to do less.

The basic principals of the book are no cultivation, no chemical
fertilizer, incorporating useful weeds and controlling, rather than
eradicating, them, including animals and various manures. He also
advocates growing veges in a semi-wild way, allowing veges to grow among
weeds, using weeds as mulch, cutting them down, to fall and so enrich the
soil and plantings.

In short, The One Straw Revolution will probably just confirm for you
what you already know, but when one is weary or wondering, and daily
engaged in a lofty apprenticeship to the land, it provides inspiration
that we must be on the right track, because it is a track that is well worn
by generations of peoples all over the world.